Hours had passed since the final wave of applause faded into memory. The world had returned to its rhythm, but Mirshad and his people were now moving toward a place untouched by noise.
One by one, the black helicopters landed softly on the hidden island. The sun was low, casting a golden glow over the ocean's edge. As the rotors slowed and the silence of the island returned, the first to step out was Mirshad.
He walked forward with a calm strength, heading to the second helicopter just as its door opened. Sophia stepped out first. Their eyes met. She smiled, and he returned it with warmth. Then his father emerged. And finally, his mother.
Mirshad stepped forward and offered his hand. She took it, but instead of holding it lightly, she gripped it tightly — the kind of hold only a mother can give. A grip filled with love, protection, and years of silent longing. She stepped down carefully, her fingers locked in his.
From the other helicopters, family members began to appear — uncles, aunties, cousins, brothers, sisters. More followed. From two more helicopters, his squad arrived — the Phantom Reapers. Even they, once silent shadows of war, now laughed and spoke freely.
In total, ten helicopters had landed.
Mirshad stood in the center of it all, holding his mother's hand with one, and Sophia's with the other. They began walking together slowly, laughter between them. His father had already joined Amir, Jabir, Rayyan, Baba, and Malik — their voices carrying the usual mischief of brotherhood. Their smiles were easy. Their joy unfiltered.
Behind them, other family members followed, some still in disbelief at what they were seeing. They had imagined many things — but not this. A hidden island, completely his. Built in silence. Hidden from the world. Now opened only to family.
The Phantom Reapers walked beside them, relaxed and relieved. For once, they were not soldiers. They were home.
As the group approached the heart of the island, a door emerged from beneath the earth — smooth, silent, mechanical. It rose upward, revealing an elevator descending into the ground. Everyone stepped in. It was slow, silent, and surrounded by glass. As they descended, the hidden world revealed itself.
And what a world it was.
A futuristic facility stretched out like a dream — medical labs, engineering bays, AI research rooms, robotic training centers. Scientists moved through corridors, doctors consulted glowing panels, and soldiers trained in silence.
For the first time, his entire family saw what Mirshad had built — not just above the earth, but deep beneath it.
When they reached the hall, a massive table stood ready. A meal beyond imagination waited for them — dishes from every memory, every taste. But before eating, curiosity took over.
One of his cousins approached him, eyes wide with wonder.
"Can we walk around this place?"
Mirshad smiled.
"All of this is yours. Just enjoy."
With that, the group scattered — wide-eyed, amazed, laughing like children.
As the laughter echoed through the walls, Mirshad walked to a quiet corner and sat on a large sofa. Peace settled over him. Not the peace of silence, but the peace of family.
He leaned back, let out a long breath, and closed his eyes. Moments later, his mother sat beside him.
Sophia had gone with the rest of the family, helping guide them and building her own bond with them. His father was still walking around with the brothers, exchanging stories and laughter.
For now, it was just him and his mother.
He looked at her and asked softly.
"Aren't you going, maa?"
She shook her head, smiling gently.
"I don't want to go anywhere. I saw my son after four years. This… this is enough for me. Nothing else matters."
Mirshad looked at her, his eyes full of quiet emotion. He reached for her hand and held it. Then, like the boy he once was, he leaned his head into her lap.
Her hands slowly began to run through his hair.
She looked down at him.
"How did you do all this, son? You left home as a boy, carrying the weight of our family with your father. He told me many times you were different. He said you were chasing something he could not explain. He also told me you had a certificate in electrical engineering. Why did you hide that from us?"
Mirshad didn't move. His voice was calm.
"It's true, maa. But that wasn't my path. I thought it was, but... no. I started as an electrician. Then I tried small businesses. After that, I worked as a waiter in a restaurant. But everything changed the night I became a driver for Baba."
He paused.
"That one night changed everything. From zero to a hundred. Life flipped."
His mother smiled as her hand moved gently across his head.
"I'm proud of you, son. When most people become successful, they chase comfort. You didn't. You changed the world. As your mother, no one can understand how proud I am. Every word you said… was powerful."
Mirshad chuckled softly.
"But maa… my speech was in English. How did you understand all that?"
She laughed.
"Sophia gave us earpieces. It translated your words into our language. I could understand everything."
Mirshad looked up, surprised.
"Really? I didn't know that. I was planning to give the whole speech again after reaching here. This time, in our language."
They both laughed.
Then the smile on his face faded slightly.
"Maa... why did you and papa hide the truth about me?"
She looked confused.
"What truth, son?"
Mirshad looked up at her with eyes full of questions.
"The lightning. The one that hit you before I was born."
Her smile slowly faded. Her hand paused in his hair.
"I didn't know how to tell you that. When I was seven months pregnant, a lightning bolt struck. The doctors said I couldn't carry you to term. They decided to deliver you early. But when you came out, you weren't alive. You were silent."
Her voice cracked.
"I held you, lifeless. But then... something happened. Your body started changing. Right in front of me, you turned into a ten-month-old. Fully formed. Then we heard it — a thunderstorm outside. Rain falling. And then... your first cry."
She held back her tears.
"I knew in that moment — you weren't ordinary. I didn't know if you were a gift from God or if God had come to me as my child. But I was sure... you were born for something far beyond us."
Mirshad closed his eyes.
"My birth wasn't an accident. Everything was written before. And maa... I am not human anymore. I have powers. Some are awake. Some are still sleeping. But I feel something bigger is coming. Something dark. And I don't know if I can stop it. That's why I changed the world first. Gave it peace. Because I don't know if I'll survive what's coming. I don't know if I can save everyone."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"You can. Only you can. That's why you are here. My son… you're not human. You are a god in flesh. And if anything comes… it will come because only you can stop it."
Mirshad held her tightly.
"Maa... can I sleep a little? Just as your boy?"
She didn't answer. She didn't need to.
Because the one who now slept on her lap was no longer the warrior, the savior, or the name the world shouted.
He was simply her child.
And to her, that was greater than any god.